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While it sounds crazy to ask, the truth is, things could have gotten much uglier.

Their defensive coordinator could have ended up on the seldom-used “physically unable to perform / gorilla attack” list.

Matt Burke spent his summer vacation hiking through Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, penetrating it by hiking up mountains for two days to hang out with gorillas. He did so despite orders from his boss, Adam Gase, who warned, “If you die, I’m gonna kill you!”

Matt Burke’s way of cooling off after some of those steamy practices in Davie. (Courtesy of Matt Burke)

“It’s hard to describe the sort of sensation of seeing these giant beasts kind of approach you,” Burke said.

And approach they did.

“You could get close and then as they’re moving around, the guides and the park rangers that you’re with sort of instruct you as to whether you should move or hold your ground or stop talking and stuff,” Burke said. “So the first time that happens and (the gorillas) actually walk within feet of you, it’s hard to describe. It was majestic.”

If you haven’t surmised, Burke is a thrill-seeker. He has been to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (elevation: 19,340 feet). He went skying and bungee-jumped off a 450-foot cliff in New Zealand. During trips to Asia and Africa, he has made friends with lions and Bengal tigers.

Been there, climbed that. (Courtesy of Matt Burke)

Burke believes it’s a good way to hit the reset button so when the season rolls around, “I always feel a lot more refreshed.”

Although Burke visited Uganda before, this was his first close encounter of the gorilla kind. He called that the highlight of his vacation.

The lowlight?

“Twenty-eight hours of flights back here and Adam’s texts asking me where I am,” Burke said.

At least he had a break from some texts.

“I had no wi-fi service for a while, so it was good,” Burke joked.

Because skydiving isn’t enough for Burke when he visits New Zealand. (Courtesy of Matt Burke)

Matt Burke, back at his day job, confers with linebacker Kiko Alonso. (Allen Eyestone / The Palm Beach Post)